Professional Doctorate

Professional Doctorate Programmes at the University of Worcester

The staff and their attention to detail, the programming and the planning have been exceptional. It’s transformed the way I look at my profession and the way I am in my profession.

Kelly Housecroft

The University of Worcester currently offers three part time Professional Doctorate Programmes; the Doctor of Business Administration, the Doctor of Education (EdD) and the Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc). The Professional Doctorate is awarded to a candidate who has made an independent and original contribution to a specific professional area and who has successfully completed an approved course of study incorporating a taught component and a research component, culminating in the submission of a thesis of work to a requisite standard.

Distinctive Characteristics of a Professional Doctorate

The first couple of modules will enable me to grow as an individual and really cement my position within [work]

Elizabeth Davies-Ward

A number of research degrees are on offer at the University of Worcester (UW) namely; MRes, MPhil, PhD, PhD by Portfolio and Professional Doctorate. At UW, the Professional Doctorate is an equivalent award to the UW Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The Professional Doctorate programme is distinct from the PhD route in the following respects:

• There is a considerable weighting given to a taught component which comprises an integral and key part of the programme, and the assessment of the taught component contributes directly towards the final award.
• The thesis produced by Professional Doctorate students will make an original contribution to knowledge within the relevant area or areas of professional practice.

It has already begun to change my work practices in that…I look at areas of development in all aspects of my work now.